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Naruto 108November 12, 2004Title: The Unseen Crack! At the last second, Kakashi breaks up the fight between Naruto and Sasuke.
Subsequently, Kakashi lectures Sasuke against using his forbidden powers . . .
But soon afterwards, Sasuke is attacked by Orochimaru's ninja strike force.
The End. * * * RATING: B In an excellent follow-up to last week's spat between our two genin protagonists, this episode provides a rigorous psychological explanation of the rivalry between Naruto and Sasuke. In one sense, this analysis lends a sense of closure to the frantic prior events, and ushers in a new and darker storyline. In one sense, this episode marks the first *real* time in fifty episodes that we see our whole set of protagonists assembled -- in addition to Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura, we also see Jiraiya and Kakashi together. Without a doubt, it's quite nice to see Kakashi talk freely to Sasuke, and in a surprisingly poignant scene, it's touching to see the traditionally taciturn Kakashi mention his loss in order to empathize with Sasuke. However, this moment is bittersweet, as we soon see Orochimaru's minions entrap Sasuke in their grasp. When all is said and done, it seems that our genin team is slowly being torn apart -- Sasuke seems to be slipping away, Kakashi has his own missions, and even Naruto and Sakura wax distant. One of the main strengths of this series is its emphasis on teamwork and friendship, and it's unsettling to see these bonds dissolve so quickly. If anything, it'll be intriguing to see how the anomalous group dynamic will be addressed, and whether Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura will ever regain their former camaraderie. * * * disagree? read 130 comments! * * * Related Reviews
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